Strip guide attachment



y 1950 s. J. KETTERER 2,506,506

STRIP GUIDE ATTACHMENT Filed Jan. 21, 1948 //V 1 5 To 2; 5 TAM/LEV Ike-Tram Patented May 2, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STRIP GUIDE ATTACHMENT Stanley J. Ketterer, St. Louis, Mo.

Application January 21, 1948, Serial No. 3,465

Claims. 1

The present invention pertains generally to an attachment for sewing machines, and more particularly to an improved attachment for sewing machines of the type used in the shoe and kindred leather goods industries.

Specifically, the invention consists of an improved attachment for such sewing machines which will facilitate the binding of raw or unfinished edges of leather in order to impart thereto a finished, ornamental appearance.

The present device is especially adapted for finishing the edges of Vamps, quarters, or other portions of ladies shoes and slippers, and enables an operator to perform such operations more quickly and accurately than is possible with binders in use today.

The attachment is so designed that it can be quickly installed on virtually all of the standard sewing machines of the type referred to, without any change whatever, in their present construction.

Therefore, the primary objects of the invention are to provide an attachment which requires no change in standard sewing machine constructions for its ready installation or removal, and which includes means for feeding the binding tape in a manner adapted to overcome the disadvantages of attachments now in use.

One of the disadvantages inherent in known binders is the absence of means for accommodating tapes the thickness of which varies to more than a perceptible degree.

The instant device provides means whereby binding tapes ranging from the minimum to a maximum thickness may pass therethrough without friction.

Another disadvantage inherent in known binders is the absence of means whereby tapes of different widths may be quickly and easily main tained in proper alinement while passing through the guide. A few of the binders now in use are equipped with such means, but these require the use of tools for adjustment, and also require considerable skill on the part of the operator.

The instant device is equipped with a pivoted manually operable lever having an arcuate edge which may be quickly and easily brought into contact with one edge of the binding strip for this purpose, and the operation of which requires neither tools nor skill.

Another advantage provided by the invention, and not found in conventional binders, resides in the arrangement whereby the tape guide is pivotally mounted about the presser roller stud, so that the former may be adjusted for binding operations on leather goods or different weights without impairing its position relative the roller.

Further objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be apparent or particularly pointedout in the description to follow, reference being also had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred form of the device is illustrated.

In the interest of clarity, all of the views are portrayed on an enlarged scale, being approximately twice actual size.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the attachment comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view thereof, in a position approximate that which it occupies when installed on a standard sewing machine;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the device turned one hundred and eighty degrees from its Fig. 2 position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, some parts appearing in the background being omitted;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of the device particularly illustrating portions not appearing in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a pivoted manually operable lever included in the device;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the device installed on a standard sewing machine, portions only of the latter being shown, and these more or less diagrammatically;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a piece of leather or the like having a binding tape stitched thereto.

With particular reference to'Figs. 1 through 5, and Fig. 8, the binder of this invention is designated. as a whole by the reference character l5.

It includes a tape or binding strip guide generally designated l 8,,a pivotally mounted, manually operable tape alining lever generally designated which is shown per se in Fig. '7, and an angularly contoured supporting bracket generally designated by the reference character 22.

The guide I3 comprises a flattened tube, preferably of stainless steel, and includes opposed flat walls 24 and 25 merging into rounded end walls 26 and 21, as best seen in Fig. 1.

As shown especially in Fig. 5, there is provided at the upper end of said guide a relatively narrow tape-receiving opening or slot 29, adapted to accommodate binding tapes ranging from a miniof said inlet slots 29 or 30.

Both of said slots are coextensive transversely of the device, so that binder tapes of varying width may be inserted in either. entrance for the slot 30, the wall 25 is cut away as at 34 in such manner that the rounded end wall portion 260, remains intact,; whereas from the cutaway portion there is fashioned an integral ear 36 which is then bent to lie in the plane of the wall 24.

Thus, as bestseen in Figs. 1, l, and 6, this ear projects laterally from. and includes the adjacent portion of the end wall 21', and has a threaded aperture 3.7 to receive a pivot screwl38 by means of whichth'e lever20 is. secured thereto.

The lever 28 includes a finger portion ie which extends above the pivot 33, and a depending portion 42 provided with an integral lateral projection it of the configuration shown. There is a slot '4 formed in the wall 21 through which the projection 43 extends so as tolie within the arcuate discharge portion 32 of the guide, that is, between'the walls 24 and 25 thereof.

As shown in thedrawing, the contour of the projection 43 is so designed as to follow that of the binder is attached will now follow, it being understood that conventional sewing machine parts are more or less diagrammatically portrayed in Figs. 8 and 9.

The parts referred to include the following: a presser wheel l5, a presser wheel supporting stud it, a reduced integral threaded extension ll, nut l8, Washer 19, presser roller supporting arm 80, a threaded aperture 8| therein, a needle 82, a post or. work support 83, and a feedertt. The roller supporting arm is secured to the usual bracket carried by the vertically movable presser bar, as

To provide an I the arcuate guide portion 32, so that manipula- V tions of the lever such as that indicated by thebroken lines of Fig. 4, may readily be had.

The projection 43' terminates in an arcu'ately contoured marginal edge portion 45, and. an aperture d6 provided. approximately centrally of the lever 29 through which the pivotscrew passes. It is here noted that said screw'is drawn tight enough to frictionally maintain the lever 26 in a selected position, so. that itis not necessary for the operator to use a screw driver or other tool either before, during, ora-fter anadjustment.

A feature *of the invention resides in the bracket 22 which supports the binder, and by means of which the device may be easily attached to standard sewing machines, as will appear.

I he configuration of said bracket is readily apparent from'an inspection particularly of'Figs; 1,

3, and 5, where it is seen to include a body portion 48 and an integral substantially vertically dis posed wall portion 49 preferably strengthened by an angular flange portion at;

Included in said wall is a flat portion designated 52, which is provided with an aperture 53 of a size to accommodate the presser roll studs of standard sewing machines. The body portion 4 8' of the bracket is provided with an aperture 56, as shown inFig. 5, and preferably, a threaded apertured boss 51 is Welded or'otherwise secured 'to the wall 24 of the guide member to receive lever '29.

is understood. The post 83 extends upwardly 'from'the base of the machine, also as understood.

To attach the binder quickly, it is merely necessary to align the opening 53 with the aperture 8|, and then to pass the stud l6 successively through the roller l5, washer l9, and opening 53, with the threaded shank i'i engaging the aperture 8| and projecting beyond the arm to receive the nut 7.8., as clearly shownrin Fig. 9'. Due to the bifurcatedportion of the guide provided'by the "recesses til and '62, such mounting .oi the presser roller 75 is facilitated, and the latter is freely rotatable and adapted to'contact the tape;

With the b'inderin place, slight transverse adjustments of the guide 15. relative the bracket 22 may be made byloosening' the tap screw 58. After a length of relatively thin tape a: from a suspended roll, not shown, has been fed through the inlet 29 and into engagement with the presser roller, the arcuate edge 45 of the projection 43 isv brought into contact with the adjacent edge of said tape by manipulating the A similar manipulation of said lever may follow the insertion of a length of relatively thick tape y'.

It is not deemed necessary to explain a binding operation, since, in use, the present binder opcrates in the same manner as conventional binders. The result obtained is illustrated in Fig. 10, which portrays the binding strip .1: stitched to a piece of leather 2, the stitching being adjacent the marginal edges of both the binding strip and the leather.

From the foregoing, it is manifest that the invention provides novel advantages not found in other binders. The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, but obviously it admits-of modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

i /hat is claimed is:

A strip guide attachment for standard sewing machines having a presser roller and its sup porting stud and attachment arm, a needle and feed mechanism; said attachment including a guide member having separate inlets for the reception of binding strips of varying thicknesses, lever means pivotally mounted on a lateral extension integral with the guide member for engaging one edge of strips of varying widths which may pass through said guide member, an angularly contoured supporting bracket adjustably secured tothe guide member, an aperture in the bracket to receive said presser roller supporting stud, and recesses provided in opposed walls of said guide member to accommodate the presser 'roller aforesaid.

2. In a strip guide attachment of the character described, adapted for use with a sewing machine having a presser roller and its supporting stud and attachment arm, a needle and feed mechanism a pair of opposed fiat walls merging into a pair of opposed arcuate walls to form a guide member of flattened tubular configuration,

a relatively narrow binding strip receiving portion and a relatively wide binding strip receiving portion provided therein, said strip receiving portions being coextensive transversely of the guide, an arcuately formed strip-discharging portion recessed to accommodate said presser roller, and an integral laterally projecting extension on the guide for pivotaliy supporting a manually operable lever having a projection adapted to be brought into engagement with one edge of a binding strip passing through said guide.

8. In a strip guide attachment of the character described, adapted for use with a sewing machine having a presser roller and its supporting stud and attachment arm, a needle and feed mechanism; a pair of opposed fiat walls merging into a pair of opposed arcuate walls to form a guide member of flattened tubular configuration, a relatively narrow binding strip receiving portion and a relatively wide binding strip receiving portion provided therein, said strip receiving portions being coextensive transversely of the guide, an arcuately formed strip-discharging portion recessed to accommodate said presser roller, an integral laterally projecting extension on the guide for pivotally supporting a manually operable lever having a projection adapted to be brought into engagement with one edge of a binding strip passing through said guide, an elongated slot formed in one of said arcuate walls throuh which said projection extends, and a threadedly apertured boss on one of said fiat walls to receive a fastening element by means of which a supporting bracket is secured to said guide.

4. In a strip guide attachment of the character described, adapted for use with a sewing machine having a presser roller and its supporting stud and attachment arm, a needle and feed mechanism; a flat tubular member through which binding strips of varying widths may pass, and means for maintaining one edge of such strips in con tact with one end wall of said tubular member, said means comprising a manually shiftable lever pivotally mounted on a lateral support rigid with said member, said lever including a finger portion above and a depending portion below its pivot, a lateral projection on the end of said depending 'portion extending through an opening provided in the other end wall or said tubular member, and an arcuate marginal edge on said pro ection adapted to be brought into contact with the other edge of such strips by manipulation oi said lever.

5. In combination with a standard sewing machine having a presser roller and its supporting stud and attachment arm, a needle and feed mechanism; a binding strip guide supported on a bracket adapted for mounting on said attachment arm, said guide including a pair of strip receiving inlets and a single outlet, recesses formed in said guide to accommodate said presser roller, and manually operable means for maintaining binding strips passing through said guide in proper alinement with said roller, said means including a lever mounted on a pivot screw, an ear portion integral with and extending laterally from said guide to receive the threaded portion of said pivot screw, an integral lateral projection on the lower end of said lever, and a slot formed in one wall of the guide through which said projection extends so as to lie within the discharge portion of said guide for maintaining strips passing therethrough in proper alinement with said roller.

STANLEY J. KETTERER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

